In the winter of 2020, the life of 25-year-old Devante Smith was tragically cut short on a street in Southeast Baltimore. On the afternoon of February 7th, Smith was found on Mason Court suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The case was immediately investigated as a homicide by the Baltimore Police Department.
Smith was a Black/African American male.
The investigation into Smith's death led to the identification and arrest of two suspects. One was an 18-year-old named Donte Gregg. Another individual, 58-year-old Gary Watkins, was also implicated in the crime. According to the prosecution's account, an argument between Watkins and Smith preceded the fatal shooting. It was alleged that Watkins then called Gregg and two other masked individuals to the scene on the 300 block of South Mason Court, where Smith was shot. After the shooting, the masked individuals reportedly fled in Watkins' truck.
In the subsequent legal proceedings, both Gary Watkins and Donte Gregg faced charges related to the murder of Devante Smith. The trial, held in Baltimore City Circuit Court, concluded in May 2023. After deliberations, the jury found Gary Watkins guilty of second-degree murder. However, they found Donte Gregg not guilty of the same charge. During the trial, Gregg's defense attorney argued that he had no connection to the shooting and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, stating to a homicide detective, 'I know for a fact. I know for a fact I didn't kill nobody.' The defense for Watkins contended that there was a lack of evidence to prove he had ever interacted with Smith.
